London has been battered by 50mph winds that have felled trees and caused travel chaos. Powerful gusts swept across the capital as the Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" weather alert for most of the country.

In an admission that must have been difficult for such a proud Frenchman, Raymond Blanc said that British chefs are best in the field of food culture and sustainability.

The Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur also said that Britons are among the most discerning and demanding diners and food buyers in the world.

He said: “Britain is leading the way in terms of food culture and sustainability and that has been led by consumers who want to know where their food and ingredients come from.

“People in Britain are very demanding. They want to know that the animal welfare is good, the food is local, how it has been grown and how it has been cooked. The chefs here are used to doing that and other countries are now following the example.”

Although Blanc has spent most of his working life in Britain and owns the world-famous Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons hotel and restaurant near Oxford, he has kept a foot in both countries, with his recent TV series The Very Hungry Frenchman following him as he returned to his Gallic roots.

He has now been given the chance to pit the two nations’ food against each other after being appointed culinary director of the Eurostar’s Business Premier class. He plans to transform eating aboard the train into a Michelin star-style experience, offering British-themed meals to passengers travelling from London to Paris, while those heading in the opposite direction will be served French dishes.

The same rule will apply to the Brussels service, with dedicated kitchens in each of the three countries preparing their meals with local ingredients.

A Eurostar survey of business travellers found that more than a third rated as below average the food they received on all forms of transport.

Eurostar has become the first transport provider to join the Sustainable Restaurants Association, of which Blanc is president, which encourages strict criteria over food origins.

Blanc said: “I am very excited about the menus. Train food has a bad reputation in Britain, but this is going to be something different. It is not about complicated cooking, it is about simplicity and great ingredients.

“I love Britain’s multi-culturalism and its food, but I am a Frenchman at heart and I love French food.”